Don't you love some crafting freebies????

So tell me how a whole week has gone by without a blog post then.... I really don't know but it has been a very busy week in between.  I've been working hard on new projects for the September issue of Creativity magazine, preparing for an important new project coming up in a few months and wondering where all that warm weather came from.  Phew it's been rather balmy - but I'm not going to complain. The flowers in my garden are loving it and the first few tomatoes which haven't been ravaged by some disease are starting to ripen.  I have a thing about tomatoes - forget fruit I can eat punnet after punnet of juicy, sweet vine ripened tomatoes. I've always loved them - for some people it's strawberries but for me it's tomatoes... Though I do admit that they don't go so well with a Victoria sponge or clotted cream... ;0)

Anyway, enough of my witterings, all I say is it has been a busy week and there I go getting completely side tracked with thoughts of summer fruits.... Mr J would tell you I am easily distracted...

So let's get back to the topic of crafting freebies.... I think most people are like me when they are choosing their magazines and they have a good nosey to see if there is something enticing they would like to have a play with lurking on the front cover... Which was why I was so over the moon when the July issue of Creativity came out.  What gorgeous goodness there was for me waiting inside the packaging - papers, glitter glue and stamps... Oh my how happy this little bunny was!!!

Firstly, the papers are from the wonderfully vintage botanicals range - in my eyes perfection itself!!! 

The craft planet glitter glue is the bees knees. With chips just a little bit chunkier than normal glitter glues it has a lovely vintage feel too it (I've used it so many times this month to add a hint of sparkle to the flowers on those papers) and the tubes have an ultra fine tip perfect for precision application... To be perfectly honest I had never used it before these arrived and I am very impressed - it will have a permanent place in my demonstration kit from now on!

Then finally there are the stamps. 

Hmmmmmm it's no secret that stamps and inks are a true passion of mine.  I have more than I care to admit too - of all types... Of both... You know those things in life that us hard core crafters have "little problems" with??? These are two of mine.  

If you look closely you'll no doubt have noticed that they are Christmas stamps.... I know some of you out there would be happy for me to talk Santa and elves 365 days a a year but for those who aren't my apologies for the "c" word but I hope you will excuse me when you see the project I have to share with you.

I've made this project many times this month and it really is so easy.  All it needs is white 300gsm card,  a little water colour (in marker or paint form), spritz inks, dye inks, your free stamps and the few added embellishments you see on the project itself.  It's so easy to create with the minimum of fuss and the maximum effect. You see this is the joy of stamps... You can start with very little and create your own masterpieces.

So go and pick up your own copy of the July Creativity Magazine whilst stocks last!

Take care and happy crafting - I  would love to know what you make with your free gifts :0) 

Becky

xxx

Vintage florals... A tiny little technique to make your resin flowers truly beautiful!!!!

Well when it comes to crafting there are two things that can be found recurring in my designs.... My love of all things beautifully vintage and the fact that I embellish with a passion.... 

So I thought I'd try something new out on my blog today and pop a tiny little tutorial on here.

Now before I go any further I really want to make one thing very clear... If I can do it so can you!!!! What I do is nothing complicated, nothing that I promise that you cannot try and master yourself.  All I do is cut and stick with a few stamps, inks, paints, papers and other kinds of things you will no doubt have in your own own craft stashes thrown in... Really I just play with beautiful products and have masses of fun doing it - and you can do it too...

So do you fancy a quick little tutorial of one of my favourite little way to alter resin flowers right at the moment???? Excuse the photo quality - but I'm holding crafty items in my left hand (I'm right handed) whilst holding my iPad with my right hand propped on my left arm to balance it whilst I take the piccie - hey there's always a way to do everything ;0)

So what you are going to need are these lovely goodies:

And we are going to start with our plain resin flower:

Start by dabbing a little white metallic paint over the petals with stamp pad foam - you can press this paint a little further into the petals... 

Repeat the last step - but with just a touch of pink metallic paint applied to the tips of the petals.

Sprinkle a little glitter over the flower whilst the paint is still wet - it will act as the glue for the glitter (I do so love a bit of bling and a chunkier glitter has such a vintage feel to it)

Place your flower in a cardboard box (I have one tucked away in my studio specifically for this purpose)  and spritz enough gold spritz ink over the flower so that it seeps into the creases between the petals.

Allow to dry thoroughly and then you have this sweet little vintage rose ready to apply to all your projects - you aren't just limited to cards - what about scrapbooking, altered art, vintage brooches or fascinators, bag charms etc etc etc etc etc - do you get the picture??? So very very useable and versatile :0)

So go on give it a go - and if you use this technique I really would love to see it - here's my project!!!

Take care all of you and I'll catch you soon for some more little chit chat 

Becky

Xxx